Whoop Tracker

What it is

WHOOP is a screenless band worn on the wrist or upper arm that samples heart rate continuously and turns it into three numbers: sleep, strain and recovery. It also tracks VO2 max, heart rate variability, respiratory rate and stress. There is no display and no notifications. Everything lives in the app.

You do not buy the device. You buy a membership and the hardware ships with it. WHOOP sells three annual tiers: One at $199 and Peak at $239, both with the WHOOP 5.0, and Life at $359, which ships the WHOOP MG. Battery life is 14+ days, and the wireless power pack slides onto the band so you can charge without taking it off. The listing here is the 12-month Life membership with the MG.

The MG adds two medical-adjacent features. One is an on-demand ECG — WHOOP obtained FDA 510(k) clearance for its over-the-counter ECG software, which checks for signs of atrial fibrillation. The other is Blood Pressure Insights, a daily estimate of systolic and diastolic ranges derived from overnight pulse waveform data. That one needs its own caveat below.

Why it's on this list

The absence of a screen is the point. A smartwatch is a demand on your attention wearing the costume of a health device. WHOOP asks nothing during the day. It measures; you look when you choose to.

What it does well is sleep and recovery. Seeing in plain numbers what two drinks or a 1 a.m. bedtime costs you is a better argument than any amount of discipline talk. Data you can't argue with changes behavior. That is the honest case for wearing one.

What to know before you buy

• It is a subscription, permanently. Stop paying and the hardware is a bracelet. Price it over three years, not one.
• Blood Pressure Insights is a wellness estimate, not a diagnosis. It requires calibration with a real cuff, and WHOOP states it cannot diagnose, treat or manage any condition, including hypertension. The FDA issued WHOOP a warning letter in July 2025 over how the feature was marketed and closed it in 2026 after the company modified it. Treat it as a trend line. Blood pressure is a conversation for your doctor and a cuff.
• No screen means no screen. No time, no alerts, no workout display. If you want a watch, buy a watch.
• Wrist optical heart rate lags a chest strap. For intervals, pair a strap. WHOOP will take the signal.
• Cheaper alternatives exist. Oura and Garmin sell hardware you own outright, with far cheaper or optional subscriptions. If the recurring fee bothers you now, it will bother you more in year three.
• HSA/FSA. WHOOP states 12-month memberships qualify. Confirm with your plan administrator, not a product page.